Problems · NHTSA complaints
2009 Mercury Milan problems
Owners filed 226 complaints about the 2009 Mercury Milan with NHTSA between Apr 2009 and Jan 2025. The most-cited component is service brakes (99).
Complaints
226
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
12
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Service brakes99
- Air bags85
- Service brakes, hydraulic17
- Vehicle speed control10
- Structure6
- Engine5
- Power train4
- Electrical system3
- Service brakes, air2
- Equipment2
- Latches/locks/linkages2
- Visibility2
- Forward collision avoidance1
- Wheels1
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
2
2
3
5
3
10
4
17
80
45
19
17
14
2
1
1
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 10 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 17 |
| 2017 | 80 |
| 2018 | 45 |
| 2019 | 19 |
| 2020 | 17 |
| 2021 | 14 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Service brakes
99 reports8 crashes
“I RECEIVED A LETTER IN JULY OF 2021 ABOUT THE ABS CONTROL UNIT PROBLEM MY VEHICLE HAS. AT THE MOMENT THAT CONTROL MODULE IS NON-FUNCTIONAL. TO DATE FORD HAS NOT PRODUCED OR MADE AVAILABLE ANY OF THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THIS REPAIR AND WILL NOT EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THE VEHICLE WHEN I CALLED THEM. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW LONG I HAVE TO DRIVE A VEHICLE WITH KNOWN DEFECTIVE BRAKES BEFORE FORD IS FORCED TO COMPLETE THIS REPAIR? THERE IS ALSO A BRAKE FLUID ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE THAT CANNOT BE ADDRESSED UNTIL THE NON-FUNCTIONING ABS MODULE IS REPAIRED. THE DEALER REFUSED TO CHANGE THE SAID CORROSIVE FLUID BECAUSE OF THE NON-FUNCTIONING ABS MODULE.”
Air bags
85 reports3 crashes5 related recalls
“THERE IS A FEDERAL RECALL ON MY VEHICLE. I HAVE SET UP AN APPOINTMENT TWICE WITH MATHEWS FORD IN NEWARK, OHIO. THEY HAVE FAILED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE FIRST TIME I TOOK IT IN THEY SAID BECAUSE OF COVID THEY WERE NOT FIXING THEM. I SPOKE TO A REPRESENTATIVE FROM FORD WHO SET UP A SECOND APPOINTMENT. THEY WERE SUPPOSE TO PICK UP THE CAR ON 02/24 AND NEVER ARRIVED.”
Service brakes, hydraulic
17 reports1 crash1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2009 Mercury Milan. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed and traveled to the floorboard. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact engaged the parking brake to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the ABS hydraulic control unit had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V904000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.”
Vehicle speed control
10 reports3 crashes
“I WAS DRIVING UP THE HILL & SLOWED DOWN FOR THE SPEEDBUMP. I STARTED APPLYING THE BRAKES TO TURN RIGHT INTO THE DRIVEWAY BUT THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD, CAUSING ME TO MISS THE DRIVEWAY & TURN INTO THE YARD. AS I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE THE CAR CONTINUED TO SPEED UP SO I SCREAMED AT MY HUSBAND "JAMES I CAN'T STOP THE CAR!" HE YANKED THE HANDBRAKE UP BUT IT DIDN'T STOP OR SLOW DOWN AND THE ENGINE MADE A CONTINUOUS HIGH PITCHED RACING SOUND. WE CRASHED INTO THE HOUSE, DAMAGING IT & BREAKING MY LEFT ARM! THE CAR WAS TOTALED. ALL THIS OCCURRED IN JUST A MATTER OF SECONDS. FORTUNATELY OUR FAMILY WAS IN ANOTHER PART OF THE HOUSE AND WEREN'T INJURED.”
Structure
6 reports1 crash
“THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT AND BACK QUIT WORKING. NO LONGER ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM INSIDE. IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS”
Engine
5 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCURY MILAN. WHILE DRIVING 78 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT HAD TO IMMEDIATELY PULL THE VEHICLE OVER ONTO THE SHOULDER BEFORE MORE TRAFFIC APPROACHED. THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAITED AWHILE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. ONCE RESTARTED, THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY. AN UNKNOWN SERVICE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FEYER FORD OF EDENTON INC. (504 VIRGINIA RD, EDENTON, NC 27932, (252) 482-2144) AND REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,409. *TT CONSUMER STATED THROTTLE BODY WAS REPLACED AFTER A MONTH OF BEING AT THE DEALERSHIP. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON CERTAIN MILANS FOR THIS SAME ISSUE. 'PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *JB”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.